6.9 Digital Marketing Overview

In the Digital Marketing program at CVTC you will learn exciting tools and techniques that will directly help you in the field. Through engaging course content you will develop a strong base knowledge of marketing strategies, graphic design, the ethics of marketing, along with many other skills.

As a student in the Digital Marketing program at CVTC you will have access to a state of the art learning center, optimized for your success with a space for studying, mingling with entrepreneurial peers at events such as 1 million cups, or using the Macbook Pros available for short-term checkout!

It’s an exciting time to be a digital marketing student in this digital era. As a student in this program you will gain the insights to help you create various materials on a digital platform as well as distribute and promote your creations. Sign up for classes today!

6.6 My Perfect Day in Rome, From Dawn to Dusk

My Perfect Day in Rome, From Dawn to Dusk

What a dream to eat gelato on cobblestone streets,  stand amongst breathtaking architecture, and feel inspired by the history of life that stands before you. This dream is Rome. If I am ambitious enough to dream of such a place, I will make an ambitious itinerary to match. 

This is my perfect day in Rome from dawn to dusk. 

06:00 A.M.

I’d begin my day by watching the sunrise at Piazza Navona, a public square where I can sit on a bench and watch the sunrise slowly illuminate both the buildings and the people.  As locals and tourists bustle by, I would ruffle through my pocketbook of Italian translations, preparing myself for a day of adventure. 

           Piazza Navona

08:00 A.M.

Food is the language we all love and know, I speak it fluently myself. Therefore, a Roman bakery is where I’d find myself next. Starting the day with a baked bun, golden to perfection, and cup of dark roast coffee steaming in my hand, I’d be ready to walk around the plaza exploring all the nooks and crannies it has to offer. 

12:00 P.M.

With a quick train ride from Rome to Vatican City, I’d be able to view the breathtaking artwork in the Sistine Chapel. My next stop would be to the Gardens of Vatican City for a breath of fresh air. I’d get the chance to see the beauty of ancient statues amidst the new life of the beautiful green space. 

           Gardens of Vatican City

2:00 P.M

Going back into the city, my historical pursuits continue to the heart of Rome at the Colosseum. This would truly  be a sight to behold as I would be standing in the presence of history.  Within a short walk, I would find myself at other historical markers such as the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, architecture that has withstood the test of time, leaving me breathless. I believe the Italian actor Alberto Sordi said it best, "Rome is not like any other city. It's a big museum, a living room that shall be crossed on one's toes."

4:00 P.M.

Dinner would be my next conquest of the night. I could have nothing other than the world famous Roman perfection on a plate; pasta. Fresh tomatoes, basil straight from the garden, and homemade pasta noodles, served from a small family owned restaurant with candlelit seating would be a perfect space to reflect on the beauty I had witnessed that afternoon around Rome.

06:00 P.M.

I would love to find myself at no other place than the Trevi Fountain at sunset. To toss a coin into the beautiful fountain and make a wish to be whisked away by a young Italian man on a moped, would be the quintessential way to start my night in Rome. In the words of Lizzie McGuire, beloved tween idol of the mid 2000's, "This is what dreams are made of."

           Trevi Fountain

8:00 P.M.

To end the night, I may be lactose intolerant, but ‘when in Rome,’ I must try the gelato. A frozen delight to cut through the heat of the night is exactly what I’d need after a long day of traveling.  

I would like to hope the dream of traveling to Rome isn’t too far off. In the meantime, checkout my Instagram and Facebook pages to see more travel related content!

4.6 Dad's Famous Baked Spaghetti

My favorite meal is baked spaghetti. When I lived at home my dad would make this dish often on cold days or when someone would come home from a trip. It’s a great dish that tastes even better the next day!

Your ingredients for baked spaghetti are:

• Olive oil

• Onions

• Garlic

• Olives 

• Grass fed beef

• Italian seasoning

• Spaghetti noodles

• Pasta sauce

• Cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)

Kitchen tools for this meal:

• Large saute pan

• Large pot 

• Spatula

• Ladle

• Casserole pan with lid

To begin the meal place following items in a large pan:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• ½ cup of onions

• 2 cloves of chopped garlic

• 1 can of sliced olives

Let those items simmer uncovered for 3-5 minutes or until the onions are tender. Then add in one package of grass fed beef, I swear you can taste the difference and it’s worth an extra $5!

Next, prepare the spaghetti noodles in a large pot.

You’ll need:

• 1 pot half full of water

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 2 pinches of table salt

•  good handfuls of spaghetti noodles

Put the olive oil and salt in the water and allow it to come to a boil. Then place the spaghetti noodles in the pot and stir occasionally for 8 minutes. You want your noodles to be al dente as we’ll be baking them next! Once your noodles are done drain them and place them to the side. 

At this point your meat should be browned and you can add in your pasta sauce. 

Season the sauce to taste with:

• Salt

• Pepper

• Italian seasoning

• Fresh rosemary 

Putting it all together:

1. Stir noodles and sauce in large casserole pan 

2. Sprinkle assorted cheese on top, covering noodles completely

3. Place in oven at 365° and leave covered for 20 minutes

4. Take cover off the last 10 minutes for cheese to get golden brown

You should now have the delicious smell of  baked spaghetti making its way through your house, tempting all present to rush to the kitchen. This dish serves 3-5 people and is best served as leftovers! I hope you enjoy my dad's famous baked spaghetti.

3.6 The Missed Flight

Missing my flight home from Paris was an experience I will never forget.

It was a bittersweet day as I was ending my visit with my best friend who was living in Western France. However, I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed after a long month of backpacking in Europe. My best friend walked me to the train station on a brisk August morning. I hugged my friend goodbye with tears in my eyes and we hoped we would see one another again sooner than later. How soon, we could not have anticipated.

I shuffled onto the train as the intercom voiced a series of words and places in a language I could not understand. This would prove to be problematic hours later as we had come to a sudden stop just one mile from the airport. Muffled French words came over the speaker and concerned looks dawned the faces of those around me. I had no google translate to assist me, so I clutched my French to English dictionary and bravely walked up to the train conductor to ask what was going on. 

In his broken English and my poorly attempted French, my stomach dropped as I began to understand a few things. Firstly, the French police decided to do a random security check of the luggage under the train. Secondly, he did not know when they would be done. Lastly, he uttered the words I feared most, "I think you not make flight."

My heart was pounding in my chest and my sweaty palms clutched the straps of my heavy backpack as I ran through the airport terminal, desperate to catch my flight. I dodged baby strollers, ran up broken escalators, and navigated my way to the gate only to see what I feared the most. "Boarding Complete". A sense of dread washed over my pale face as I remembered my phone's inability to make calls while abroad. I felt stranded in a country where I didn't speak the language, had $50 in the entirety of my account, and did not know where to start with getting back home.

As I was lying down on the cold floor of an airport McDonalds, stretching to reach a plug in to charge my phone. I began to allow the despair of the entire situation to drag me down where my backpack became too heavy to carry and I felt so defeated. I did not even utter a word to friends or family about my mistake. I was so determined to be a solo female traveler and prove to my family that I can be independent and that they didn't need to worry. My stomach was doing somersaults as I wrestled in my mind what to do, coming to the conclusion that I needed to reach out for help, no matter how desperately I wanted to keep it to myself.

Clarity eased its way into my mind after the shock of the situation had subsided. My friend in Western France, who I had left earlier that day, came to my rescue. A sigh of relief escaped my lips and a new sense of invigoration entered my body as I once again had direction. She bought me a train ticket back to her place where I would stay for an additional two weeks. I eventually faced my fear and confronted my parents about my mistake of missing my flight and not properly budgeting. After hours of scolding and several long phone calls later, I was homeward bound with the help of my parents loaning me enough money to get a chintzy airline ticket back to the United States. Rest assured, I arrived at the airport 4 hours early and have learned to budget properly.

3.4 Missing My Flight Home from Paris

The day I missed my flight home from Paris is a day I will never forget. This story involves a train, the French police, a broken escalator, and one broke college student. 

It was a bitter sweet day as I was ending my visit with my best friend who was living in Western France. However, I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed after a long month of backpacking in Europe. My best friend walked me to the train station on a brisk August morning. I hugged my friend goodbye and we hoped we would see one another again sooner than later. How soon, we could not have anticipated. 

I shuffled onto the train as the intercom voiced a series of words and places in a language I could not understand. This would prove to be problematic hours later as we had come to sudden stop just one mile from the airport. Muffled french words came over the speaker and concerned looks dawned the faces of those around me. I had no google translate to assist me, so I clutched my French to English dictionary and bravely walked up to the train conductor to ask what was going on. 

In his broken English and my poorly attempted French, I began to understand a few things. Firstly, the French police decided to do a random security check of the luggage under the train. Secondly, he did not know when they would be done. Lastly, he uttered the words I feared most, "I think you not make flight."

After an hour and a half of sitting on a stopped train just one mile from the Paris airport, we had arrived and my race to catch my flight began. It started with me being dropped off at the wrong terminal, taking an air train where almost every individual got their luggage caught in the doors, and having to run up several broken escalators to get to my gate. 

The doors at the gate are sealed and I see in bold red letters, "Boarding". However, nobody was boarding, and I saw my plane on the tamarack getting ready for take off. With no flight insurance, a whole $50 left in my bank account, and a iPhone 5s, I had to find a plan to get home. After 2 hours of searching for ways to get home while sitting on the floor of a McDonalds in the Paris airport, my friend in Western France reached out. She bought me a train ticket back to her apartment where I would stay for another week until I could find a cheap plane ticket and convince my parents to loan me a few hundred dollars to get back home. 

Rest assured, when I got to the airport that final time, I was there 4 hours early.